procedure design, pans-ops, air traffic control, RNAV, pans-ops course, Instrument flight procedure design, PANS-OPS training, ICAO doc. 8168, aviation training

Duration:
3 working days

Instructors: Dr. Maurizio Scaramuzza/Prof. Dr. Alain Geiger
Course costs:
1200 EURO, includes tuition fee and course materials

In the days of computers, obstacle databases, digital terrain models, satellite navigation and digital maps, it is extremely important for procedure designers to understand geodesic and mapping issues. Importing WGS84 co-ordinates into an computer grid system and working on a background map that was created in a total different datum can lead to very dangerous errors. This course will make you understand what problems may occur and how you can address them. This is a more detailed course than the above course and will also include some transformation exercises.

ARINC 424 Database coding and charting

Duration:
5 working days
Instructors: Jim Terpstra
Course costs:
1700 Euro, includes tuition fee and course materials

In contemporary Instrument Flight Procedure Design, the specialist needs a very wide background of knowledge. One are that becomes more and more important, is the coding of procedures into navigation databases. This course is not aimed at professional database coders, it is for Procedure Designers to understand the basics of coding. The course will introduce the path/terminator concept, so the specialist will be able to identify all path/terminator legs in a procedure he or she designs. Furthermore the specialist will learn the basics of ARINC 424 specifications and there will be some simple coding exercises. At the end, some charting issues will be discussed, as the publication on charts and the coding for databases should go hand in hand.

AIS/MAP Charting

Duration:
10 working days
Instructor: Aleksandar Pavlovic
Course costs:
3600 Euro, includes tuition fee and course materials

Module 1 - AIS (one working day):
Participants will acquire basic knowledge concerning aeronautical information and data according to ICAO Annex 15 provisions with emphasis on aeronautical data management. The lecturing will improve participants understanding of the purpose and scope of aeronautical information as well as processes associated with Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) and the importance of timely provision of quality aeronautical information. Supporting role the AIS will play in the ICAO Global ATM Operational Concept and in the future Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) and Flight Planning environment is also covered.

Module 2 – MAP (nine working days:
This module covers all the aeronautical charting requirements as prescribed by Annex 4 with particular emphasis on charts published in Aeronautical Information Publications (AIP). Lecturing additionally addresses relation and necessary coordination between the procedure designer specialist and the cartographer in the processes related to the provision of required information on aeronautical charts. The module is based on Annex 4 specifications and associated ICAO guidance material, Aeronautical Charts Manual (Doc 8697) as well as on the charting/publication related procedures contained in the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS, Doc 8168, Volume II).

Lecturing in this module covers the general charting specifications (e.g. chart naming and symbols, projections, charting data, terrain, common reference systems, etc.) and details the content and production of 16 different series of aeronautical charts. including electronic charts. In addition to the lecturing of the charts prescribed common “outlook”, need for the provision of terrain on instrument charts and where required, minima tables is also provided. Majority of Annex 4 specifications cover the “conventional”, analog charting requirements, lecturing addresses as well electronic charting with emphasis on the electronic symbols and data and on the electronic charts display. Two planning charts series (non-AIP charts) are covered as well, however, in much less details.

Flight Operations Awareness

Duration:
5 working days

Course costs:
1700 EURO, includes tuition fee and course materials

This course will help the procedure designers who have no or little flying background understand, what happens in a cockpit. How procedures are flown, what instruments are available in a modern airliner, how operating minima are calculated and how the operator works out contingency prodedures.

Here is a flyer for download.

Conditions for admission:
The student must demonstrate fundamental ICAO PANS-OPS knowledge and operational experience.

RNAV for Air Traffic Controllers

Duration:
5 working days
Scheduled on request only

Course costs:
1700 EURO, includes tuition fee and course materials

Air Traffic Controllers have to adopt to frequent changes. One of the major chanes in a ATCO's career of these times is certainly the implementation of RNAV as the main means of navigation for en-route and more and more also for Terminal Areas. RNAV brought a more efficient use of airspace, but it also brought a higher complexity for the Air Traffic Controller to handle. For the operational ATCO it is beneficial if he knows how the different RNAV Sensors work, what are their limitations and why certain aircraft can do certain things while other aircraft cannot. It is important to know how procedures are designed and what the ATCO can expect in the future. RNAV is a very complex field of navigation with many different aspects. Knowing them will make the student a better and more confident Air Traffic Controller. This course contains 4 days of theory, the last day is used to visit a cockpit of a modern airliner to learn the pilot's perspective of RNAV. The student will see how procedures and routes are presented to the cockpit crew by the FMS. This is an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and questions with flight crews.

Presentation Technique

Duration:
As long as you take for it

Course costs:
Free

Do you suffer from stage fright? Do you think, you are not a great presenter or speaker? Have you ever asked yourself why certain presenters are so great while others are relatively dull? It's normally not the content, but the way the material is presented, which is the problem. One of the major crimes in didactics is the projection of extensive text on a screen (did I hear somebody say "Eurocontrol Conferences?). If you respect only a few tricks, you can make the difference as a speaker. You can learn these tricks of a speech that will attract the attention of the audience for sure! You will learn about the biggest “crimes” in presentations. You will learn the effectful use of PowerPoint (it's not a PowerPoint course!!) or other presentation software. The best is: I have decided to provide it for free. It's my payback to the universe for being nice to me so far :-)

You can download the lecture here.